Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called upon Indians to strengthen the country’s journey towards self-reliance by giving greater preference to swadeshi products and avoiding unnecessary expenditure abroad. He urged citizens to reconsider leisure trips overseas, destination weddings in foreign countries and gold purchases when they are not essential.
Addressing the nation through a selfie-style video message from Bishkek, where he is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Prime Minister Modi congratulated Indians on the country recording an economic growth rate of 7.8 per cent. He said the strong growth performance should further encourage citizens to contribute to the goal of building a self-reliant and developed India.
“Foreign trips, if you are going for leisure, you should not go. If you are getting married abroad, you should not do so. And if it is not necessary, you should not buy gold either,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister's appeal comes against the backdrop of his repeated emphasis on reducing India's dependence on imported goods and encouraging domestic production. He urged citizens to make conscious choices in their consumption patterns and support Indian businesses, manufacturers and entrepreneurs.
Modi said greater emphasis on swadeshi and self-reliance would strengthen the domestic economy by encouraging demand for Indian products and services. According to him, the benefits of economic growth should be accompanied by a stronger culture of producing and consuming goods made in India.
“The more we emphasise swadeshi, the more we emphasise self-reliance, I have firm faith that when it is 100 years of independence, we will present a developed India to our young generation,” he said.
His remarks link individual consumer choices with the broader national objective of achieving developed-country status. The Prime Minister has frequently urged citizens to adopt the principle of “vocal for local” and support domestic products, arguing that stronger local demand can help generate employment, promote entrepreneurship and improve India's manufacturing capabilities.
The appeal to avoid unnecessary foreign travel and overseas weddings also reflects the government's broader focus on retaining spending within the domestic economy. India has a large tourism, hospitality and wedding industry, and greater domestic spending in these sectors can potentially benefit local businesses and workers.
At the same time, Modi's comments on gold highlighted the country's substantial demand for the precious metal and its implications for imports. By asking citizens to purchase gold only when necessary, he encouraged a more restrained approach to spending on imported commodities.
The Prime Minister's message comes as India seeks to sustain high economic growth while expanding its manufacturing base, strengthening domestic supply chains and reducing vulnerabilities arising from dependence on overseas markets.
With India approaching the centenary of its Independence in 2047, Modi said the ultimate objective should be to hand over a developed and self-reliant nation to the younger generation. His latest appeal therefore places individual choices—what people buy, where they travel and where they celebrate important occasions—within the larger framework of India's economic transformation.
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